Bible

 

1 Mosebok 49

Studie

   

1 Och Jakob kallade sina söner till sig och sade: Församlen eder, på det att jag må förkunna eder vad som skall hända eder i kommande dagar:

2 Kommen tillhopa och hören, I Jakobs söner; hören på eder fader Israel.

3 Ruben, min förstfödde är du, min kraft och min styrkas förstling, främst i myndighet och främst i makt.

4 Du sjuder över såsom vatten, du skall icke bliva den främste, ty du besteg din faders läger; då gjorde du vad skändligt var. Ja, min bädd besteg han!

5 Simeon och Levi äro bröder; deras vapen äro våldets verktyg.

6 Min själ inlåte sig ej i deras råd, min ära tage ingen del i deras samkväm; ty i sin vrede dräpte de män, och i sitt överdåd stympade de oxar.

7 Förbannad vare deras vrede, som är så våldsam, och deras grymhet, som är så hård! Jag skall förströ dem i Jakob, jag skall förskingra dem i Israel.

8 Dig, Juda, dig skola dina bröder prisa ; din hand skall vara på dina fienders nacke, för dig skola din faders söner buga sig.

9 Ett ungt lejon är Juda; från rivet byte har du dragit ditupp, min son. Han har lagt sig ned, han vilar såsom ett lejon, såsom en lejoninna -- vem vågar oroa honom?

10 Spiran skall icke vika ifrån Juda, icke härskarstaven ifrån hans fötter, till dess han kommer till Silo och folken bliva honom hörsamma.

11 Han binder vid vinträdet sin åsna, vid ädla rankan sin åsninnas fåle. Han tvår sina kläder i vin, sin mantel i druvors blod.

12 Hans ögon äro dunkla av vin och hans tänder vita av mjölk.

13 Sebulon skall bo vid havets strand, vid stranden, där skeppen ligga; sin sida skall han vända mot Sidon.

14 Isaskar är en stark åsna, som ligger i ro i sin inhägnad.

15 Och han såg att viloplatsen var god, och att landet var ljuvligt; då böjde han sin rygg under bördor och blev en arbetspliktig tjänare.

16 Dan skall skaffa rätt åt sitt folk, han såväl som någon av Israels stammar.

17 Dan skall vara en ormvägen, en huggorm på stigen, en som biter hästen i foten, så att ryttaren faller baklänges av.

18 HERRE, jag bidar efter din frälsning!

19 Gad skall trängas av skaror , men själv skall han tränga dem på hälarna.

20 Från Aser kommer fetma, honom till mat; konungsliga läckerheter har han att giva.

21 Naftali är en snabb hind; han har sköna ord att giva.

22 Ett ungt fruktträd är Josef, ett ungt fruktträd vid källan; dess grenar nå upp över muren.

23 Bågskyttar oroa honom, de skjuta på honom och ansätta honom;

24 dock förbliver hans båge fast, och hans händer och armar spänstiga, genom dens händer, som är den Starke i Jakob, genom honom som är herden, Israels klippa,

25 genom din faders Gud -- han skall hjälpa dig. genom den Allsmäktige -- han skall välsigna dig med välsignelser från himmelen därovan, välsignelser från djupet som utbreder sig därnere, välsignelser från bröst och sköte.

26 Din faders välsignelser nå högt, högre än mina förfäders välsignelser, de nå upp till de eviga höjdernas härlighet. De skola komma över Josefs huvud, över dens hjässa, som är en furste bland sina bröder.

27 Benjamin är en glupande ulv; om morgonen förtär han rov, och om aftonen utskiftar han byte.»

28 Alla dessa äro Israels stammar, tolv till antalet, och detta är vad deras fader talade till dem, när han välsignade dem; åt var och en av dem gav han sin särskilda välsignelse.

29 Och han bjöd dem och sade till dem: »Jag skall nu samlas till mitt folk; begraven mig bredvid mina fäder, i grottan på hetiten Efrons åker,

30 i den grotta som ligger på åkern i Makpela, gent emot Mamre, i Kanaans land, den åker som Abraham köpte till egen grav av hetiten Efron,

31 där de hava begravit Abraham och hans hustru Sara, där de ock hava begravit Isak och hans hustru Rebecka, och där jag själv har begravit Lea,

32 på den åkern som jämte grottan där köptes av Hets barn

33 När Jakob hade givit sina söner denna befallning, drog han sina fötter upp i sängen; och han gav upp andan och blev samlad till sina fäder.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 4197

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

4197. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore he called the name of it Galeed. That this signifies that it will be so to eternity, hence its quality again, is evident from the signification of a “heap,” as being good (see n. 4192); and from the signification of a “witness,” as being the confirmation of good by truth (concerning which below); from the signification of “this day,” as being eternity (n. 2838, 3998); and from the signification of “calling a name,” as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 2009, 2724, 3421). The quality itself is contained in the name “Galeed;” for in ancient times the names imposed contained the quality (n. 340, 1946, 2643, 3422). From this it is manifest what is signified by, “Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore he called the name of it Galeed,” namely, a testification of the conjunction of the good here signified by “Laban” with the good Divine of the Lord’s natural, consequently the conjunction of the Lord with the Gentiles by good; for this good is what is now represented by Laban (n. 4189). The truths of this good are what testify of the conjunction; and yet so long as they live in the world their good is aside, because they have not truths Divine. But they who live in this good (that is, in mutual charity), although they have no truths Divine direct from the Divine fountain (that is, from the Word), they nevertheless have not their good closed up, but such that it can be opened; and it also is opened in the other life, when they are there instructed in the truths of faith, and concerning the Lord. It is otherwise with Christians, of whom those who are in mutual charity, and still more those who are in love to the Lord, are in direct good while living in the world, because they are in truths Divine; and therefore they enter into heaven without such instruction, provided there have not been in their truths falsities, which must first be dispelled. But those Christians who have not lived in charity have closed heaven against themselves, and very many of them to such a degree that it cannot be opened; for they know truths, and deny them, and also harden themselves against them, if not with the mouth, yet in the heart.

[2] Laban’s first calling the heap “Jegar-sahadutha” in his own idiom, and then “Galeed” in the idiom of Canaan, when both have nearly the same meaning, is for the sake of the application, and of the conjunction thereby. To speak in the idiom of Canaan, or “with the lip of Canaan,” is to apply one’s self to the Divine; for by “Canaan” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, and in the supreme sense the the Lord, (n. 1607, 3038, 3705); as is manifest in Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt (Isaiah 19:18-20).

[3] That a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth, and of truth by good, and that hence a “testimony” denotes the good from which is truth, and the truth which is from good, may be seen from the Word in other passages. That a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth and of truth by good, is evident from the following passages.

In Joshua:

Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen Jehovah to serve Him. And they said, We are witnesses. Now therefore put away the strange gods which are in the midst of you, and incline your heart unto Jehovah the God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto His voice will we be obedient. And Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and a judgment in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be for a witness to us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which He spake unto us; and it shall be to you for a witness, lest ye deny your God (Josh. 24:22-27).

That a “witness” here is confirmation, is manifest, and indeed the confirmation of a covenant, and accordingly of conjunction; for a “covenant” signifies conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021). And as conjunction with Jehovah or the Lord is not possible except by good; nor the good which conjoins except that which has its quality from truth; it follows that a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth. The good here meant is conjunction with Jehovah or the Lord by their choosing Him to serve Him; the truth by which the confirmation was made being the “stone.” (That a “stone” denotes truth may be seen above, n. 643, 1298, 3720) In the supreme sense, the “stone” is the Lord Himself, because all truth is from Him, and therefore He is called the “Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24); and it is also said, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness to us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which He spake unto us.”

[4] In John:

I will give unto my two witnesses, that they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth. And if any man desire to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; these have power to shut heaven. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and shall overcome them, and shall kill them. And after three days and a half, the breath of life from God entered into them, so that they stood upon their feet (Revelation 11:3-7, 11).

That the “two witnesses” here mentioned are good and truth (that is, the good in which is truth, and the truth which is from good), both confirmed in hearts, is manifest from its being said that the two witnesses are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands. (That an “olive-tree” is such good, may be seen above, n. 886.) The “two olive-trees” denote celestial good and spiritual good. Celestial good is that of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is that of charity toward the neighbor. The “lampstands” are the truths of these goods, as will appear when of the Lord’s Divine mercy the subject of lampstands is treated of. That these goods and truths have power to shut heaven and to open heaven may be seen in the preface to the twenty-second chapter. That “the beast out of the abyss (that is, out of hell) will kill them,” signifies the vastation of good and truth within the church; and that “the spirit of life from God entered into them, so that they stood upon their feet,” signifies a new church.

[5] That as in ancient times heaps were placed as witnesses, so afterwards were altars, is evident in Joshua:

The Reubenites and the Gadites said, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, and not for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar, A witness between us that Jehovah is God (Josh. 22:28, 34).

(An “altar” is the good of love, and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, n. 921, 2777, 2811.) In the internal sense a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth.

[6] As by a “witness” is signified the confirmation of good by truth and of truth by good, therefore in the supreme sense by a “witness” is signified the Lord, because He is the Divine truth that confirms; as in Isaiah:

I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the true mercies of David; behold I have given Him for a Witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples (Isaiah 55:4).

In John:

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).

In the same:

These things saith the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).

[7] The command given in the representative church, that all truth shall stand on the word of two or three witnesses, and not on that of one (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6-7; 19:15; Matthew 18:16), is founded on the Divine law that one truth does not confirm good, but a number of truths; for one truth without connection with others is not confirmatory, but a number together, because from one may be seen another. One does not produce any form, and thus not any quality, but only a number that are connected in a series. For as one tone does not produce any melody, still less harmony, so neither does one truth. These are the things on which the law in question is founded, although in the outward form it appears to be founded in the civic state; the one however is not contrary to the other, as is also the case with the precepts of the Decalogue, concerning which see above (n. 2609).

[8] That a “testimony” denotes the good from which is truth, and the truth which is from good, follows from what has been said; and also from the fact that the ten precepts of the Decalogue written upon the tables of stone are called in one word the “testimony,” as in Moses:

Jehovah gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18).

In the same:

Moses went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand, tables that were written on their two sides (Exodus 32:15).

And as the tables were placed in the ark, the ark is called the “ark of the testimony,” as in Moses:

Jehovah said to Moses, Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee (Exodus 25:16, 21).

Moses took and put the testimony into the ark (Exodus 40:20).

In the same:

I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony (Exodus 25:22).

In the same:

That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy-seat, that is upon the testimony (Leviticus 16:13).

In the same:

The rods of the twelve tribes were left in the tent of meeting before the testimony (Numbers 17:4).

(That from this the ark was also called the “ark of the testimony,” see, besides the passage cited, Exodus 25:22; 31:7; Revelation 15:5)

[9] The precepts of the Decalogue were therefore called the “testimony,” because they were of the covenant, thus of the conjunction between the Lord and man; which conjunction cannot come into existence unless man keeps the precepts, not only in external form, but also in internal. What the internal form of these precepts is, may be seen above (n. 2609); and therefore it is good confirmed by truth, and truth derived from good, which is signified by the “testimony.” Because this is so, the tables were also called the “tables of the covenant;” and the ark, the “ark of the covenant.” From all this it is manifest what in the genuine sense is signified in the Word by the “testimony” (as in Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20; Isaiah 8:16; 2 Kings 17:15; Psalms 19:7; 25:10; 78:5; 93:5; 119:2, 22, 24, 59, 79, 88, 138, 167; 122:3-4; Revelation 6:9; 12:17; 19:10).

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.